Prism Definition and 240 Threads

An optical prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. At least one surface must be angled — elements with two parallel surfaces are not prisms. The traditional geometrical shape of an optical prism is that of a triangular prism with a triangular base and rectangular sides, and in colloquial use "prism" usually refers to this type. Some types of optical prism are not in fact in the shape of geometric prisms. Prisms can be made from any material that is transparent to the wavelengths for which they are designed. Typical materials include glass, acrylic and fluorite.
A dispersive prism can be used to break white light up into its constituent spectral colors (the colors of the rainbow). Furthermore, prisms can be used to reflect light, or to split light into components with different polarizations.

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  1. C

    How does a prism affect wavelength?

    I know that prisms create dispersion and cause different frequencies of light to travel at different angles relative to the normal, and that the prism affects the wavelength and speed of the waves, but what exactly is the nature of this relationship? Other than spreading various frequencies out...
  2. D

    Prism Optics Range of Refraction Angles

    Homework Statement Equilateral triangle prism (angles all 60 degrees) made of crown glass. Index of refraction ranges from 1.486 for longest visible wavelengths to 1.556 for the shortest. What is range of refraction angles for the light transmitted into air through the right side of the...
  3. T

    Finding the minimum angle of deviation for an equilateral prism

    Homework Statement Use the formula: n=(sin(A+D)/2)/(sin(A)/2) to find D for an equilateral prism of index of refraction n=1.50 (where A=apex angle for a prism=60 degrees in this case, and D=minimum angle of deviation) Homework Equations Snell's Law: (n1)sin(i)=(n2)sin(r)...
  4. B

    How Can You Simplify Finding i_2 in Prism Refraction Calculations?

    Homework Statement White light is shone into an equalateral prism of 60 degrees (we are only concerned with red and blue) at 30 degrees normal to one side. See diagram. Find the angle of separation between blue and red light as it exits the prism. My question is there an easier way to find...
  5. S

    Work and Fluid Force, lifting water out of a triangular prism tank

    Homework Statement A vertical cross section of a tank is shown. Assume the tank is 16 feet long and full of water. (\delta=62.4, and that the water is to be pumped to a height of 8 feet above the top of the tank. Find the work done in emptying the tank. The tank is a triangular prisim with...
  6. S

    Difference between diffraction and prism

    Homework Statement How to make difference between the light that has traveled through a prism and the light that has traveled through a diffraction grating when only place that is visible to the viewer is the place where the white light lands? The Attempt at a Solution Sorry, but i...
  7. H

    Fluid Mechanics - Air Pressure/ Prism

    Hello How would you calculate the total force (due to air pressure) on the top face of a prism, which is partially immersed in water? The top face is horizontal. What formula do you use? Thank you.
  8. M

    Total Internal reflection is Glass Prism Question

    Question about Total Internal Reflection? My textbook says that for total internal reflection to occur 2 conditions need to be met. Light is traveling more slowly in the first medium than the second medium and no.2 is the angle of incidence must be large enough for no refraction to occur. My...
  9. M

    Total Internal Reflection in Glass prism Question?

    Question about Total Internal Reflection? My textbook says that for total internal reflection to occur 2 conditions need to be met. Light is traveling more slowly in the first medium than the second medium and no.2 is the angle of incidence must be large enough for no refraction to occur. My...
  10. M

    How small can a prism be made?

    See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7mXdgF2grY" The concept of the video is the light is directed. Right now I'm using a plano-convex lens but I'm looking at right angle prisms (not the rainbow kind). - How small can a right angle prism be made? - And my other question is for after...
  11. K

    Solve for dimensions of rectangular prism given inertia

    I am trying to solve something of an inverse problem for inertia, and having a real tough time with it. Any suggestions would be helpful. For a rectangular prism the mass and moments of inertia are: m = rho*A*B*C Ixx = m/12*(B^2 + C^2) Iyy = m/12*(A^2 + C^2) Izz = m/12*(A^2 + B^2)...
  12. C

    Can a High Power Laser Melt a Prism and How to Make a Reflective Missile?

    If we pass a really high power laser through a prism, is it possible that the prism melts down.
  13. J

    Prism Question: need this by tonight

    Homework Statement A light ray has an incident angle of 30 degrees onto the vertex of a +500D mirror in air (directly on the optical axis). By how many degrees is the light ray deviated from its original path? Homework Equations n (delta) = (n'-n) (alpha) n'= [ n sin [(alpha +...
  14. L

    Angle Of Minimum Deviation (Prism & Spectrometer)

    Homework Statement Hello, one of the things I have to do for my lab report for this week is to prove that the angle between the left and right deviations of the telescope is twice the angle of minimum deviation. Its a lab where you have to find the refractive index of substances using a...
  15. G

    Is there a shortcut for finding theta4 using Snell's Law when theta2 is known?

    Snells Law prism - from theta2 -> theta3? Hi, I was wondering if there's a formula to go straight from theta1 to theta 4, when the apex angle is known. Thanks[PLAIN]http://cord.org/cm/leot/course06_mod07/Fig3.gif My problem is getting from theta2 to theta3. Thanks ps. This is not a homework...
  16. C

    Question for the use of Woolaston Prism in OPTICAL TWEEZER

    I studied optical tweezer, So I saw the optical path in the diagram. Then I can't understand why they use the Wollaston Prism? After launch the laser, the beam through the half-wave plate So the beam polarized, I know this. and after through the half-wave plate, the beam through...
  17. A

    The prism is made from glass and its cross section is an

    Homework Statement the prism is made from glass, and its cross section is an equilateral triangle. the indices of refraction for the red and violet light are 1.662 and 1.698, respectively. the angle of incidence for both the red and violet light is 60 degrees. find the angles of refraction at...
  18. M

    Finding the Angle of Incidence for Light Inside a Prism

    a ray of light enters a prism in the shape of an isosceles right triangle perpendicular to its surface. the light enters through one of the legs and the index of refraction of the prism's constituents is 1.4. where will the light go as it enters the prism? the light enters at 0 degrees. It...
  19. 0

    Derivation of angle of deviation in a prism

    derivation of an expression for the angle of deviation in a prism, in terms of \thetaa and \thetag and A Homework Equations (\thetaa - \thetag ) + (\thetaa' - \thetag' ) = D A = \thetag + \thetag' i get stuck trying to put \thetaa' into the terms the question states, anyone have an...
  20. B

    Speed of light through a prism

    When light is observed going through a prism the speed changes and so does the wavelength but the frequency remains the same. That is why we see the different colours. Once the light exits the prism we still observe the colours of the spectrum produced. So is the coloured light observed...
  21. R

    Does the frequency of light changes when it go through a prism

    I know the prism can separate the light into 7 colours, but my teacher said the frequency of light changes and so as the wavelength.. if he is right... this is the bit i am not sure about if the frequency of the light changes when it passes through a prism, does it mean the energy...
  22. Y

    Light Refracted through a Prism

    Homework Statement Light is incident along the normal to face AB of a glass prism of refractive index 1.66, as shown in the figure. [PLAIN]http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/6339/yffigure3336.jpg Find \alphamax, the largest value of the angle \alpha such that no light is refracted out...
  23. K

    Difference between the spectra obtained through prism and grating?

    what is the basic difference between the spectra obtained through prism and grating?
  24. R

    Minimum deviation in a Prism -

    Homework Statement A ray of light is incident in air at an angle of 40 degrees to the normal to one face of a 60 degree glass prism. Calculate the angle through which the ray has been deviated by the time it emerges from the prism. (refractive index of glass wrt air is given as 1.50)...
  25. O

    Moment of Inertia of a Triangular Prism

    Homework Statement A triangular prism of mass M, whose two ends are equilateral triangles parallel to the xy plane with side 2a, is centered on the origin with its axis on the z axis. Find its moment of inertia for rotation about the z axis. Without doing any integrals write down and explain...
  26. D

    Reversed spectrum through prism?

    There is a debate going on regarding this subject, and many different physics professors, who have a PhD in optical physics, are providing different answers. It looks like they are getting destroyed in the debate which is rather silly. I have been watching and I am very curious about the...
  27. G

    Can Total Internal Reflection Occur in a Prism Immersed in Water?

    Homework Statement If one immersed the prism in water (nw=1.33), would it be possible to obtain total internal reflection within the prism? Explain. Homework Equations n1sin(θc)=n2sin(90o), where nglass=1.5. The Attempt at a Solution I tried to solve for the unknown angle θc. Total...
  28. B

    Moment of inertia of a rectangular prism

    I was trying to derive the formula for the moment of inertia of a rectangular prism at its centre of mass. And ended up with this...
  29. S

    Prism Dispersion: Does Light Diffraction Follow Thin Film Rules?

    Does dispersion of light by a prism have anything to do with how thin films disperse light of different colors at different angles? Could a person imagine the sides as if they were thin films?
  30. G

    Quantum - Electron in an infinite rectangular prism well

    Homework Statement If an electron is in an infinite rectangular prism well, with sides of length a, b, and c where c is the shortest and (b^2)*c=a^3, for what value of the d=b/c is the first excited state of the electron minimized? This isn't the complete problem but it's the part that's...
  31. O

    Moving a rectangular prism through a magnetic field

    Homework Statement The figure shows a metallic block, with its faces parallel to coordinate axes. The block is in a uniform magnetic field of magnitude 0.020 T. One edge length of the block is 25 cm; the block is not drawn to scale. The block is moved at 2.8 m/s parallel to each axis, in turn...
  32. M

    Isosceles Triangular Prism Related Rates Problem

    Homework Statement A trough is 9 ft long and its ends have the shape of isosceles triangles that are 5 ft across at the top and have a height of 1 ft. If the trough is being filled with water at a rate of 14 ft3/min, how fast is the water level rising when the water is 7 inches deep? I...
  33. S

    Index of refraction of the prism

    Homework Statement 5) A beam of monochromatic light enters an equilateral triangular prism at an angle of incidence of 30.0º. If the index of refraction of the prism is 1.53, at what angle with respect to the surface of the prism does the beam emerge from the other side of the prism...
  34. 1

    Why does the wave of color that has a greater index of refraction bend more?

    Hi guys, I just have a short question. A prism splits white light into it component color depending on the wavelength of the color. As the wavelength decreases, the index of refraction increases, so the wave bends more. However according to Snell's law, a greater index of refraction results in...
  35. N

    Calculating Min Incident Angle for Ray Emerging from Prism

    Homework Statement If the apex angle of a prism is f = 74.3° (see figure below), http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2/NikkiNik88/apex.gif what is the minimum incident angle for a ray if it is to emerge from the opposite side (i.e., not be totally internally reflected), given n = 1.55...
  36. D

    Polishing a BK7 Prism to 4020 Scratch Rating

    I have a bk7 prism (borosilicate...) and I'd like to polish it to a 4020 scratch surface rating. How would I go about doing this?
  37. L

    In prism, is angle of deviation related with the refractive index of prism?

    Optics, prism and angle of deviation 1. Angle of incidence, emergence and deviation are respectively 30, 60 and 45 degree. 2. 3. I think that it is irrespective of the refractive index.
  38. I

    Material for a high transmittance Prism and where to Buy

    I am working on a science fair project that will concentrate sunlight and then separate it into 3 sections, visible light, infrared light, and everything else (ex. UV). Each will have its own use. I was wondering how to do about the dispersion of the light. I was originally going to use a...
  39. J

    Is There an Error in the Angle Calculation for the Emergent Ray from a Prism?

    Homework Statement A ray of monochromatic yellow light is incident in air on an equilateral triangular glass prism. This ray is in the same plane as the equilateral triangular cross section of the prism; the angle between the ray and the prism face is 60°, and the refractive index of the...
  40. N

    Dispersion of light in a prism confusing

    I understand that as the frequency of an electromagnetic wave increases, its refractive index decreases in a material. According to this, red light would have a higher refractive index than blue light (is my mistake here? why?). Since sinI/sinR = n (where I is the angle of incidence, R is the...
  41. M

    Total internal reflection in prism

    Homework Statement Light is incident normally on the short face of a 30-60-90 (degree) prism. A drop of liquid is placed on the hypotenuse of the prism.If the index of the prism is 1.68, find the maximum index that the liquid may have if the light is to be totally reflected. Homework Equations...
  42. S

    Max \omega for Stationary Bar on Prism 1 with Coeff. k < cot\alpha

    Homework Statement Prism 1 with bar 2 of mass m placed on it gets a horizontal acceleration \omega directed to the left. At what maximum value of this acceleration \omega will the bar be still stationary relative to the prism, if the coefficient of friction between them k < cot\alpha...
  43. N

    Porro prism and Refraction of Light

    Homework Statement Ligh is incident normally upon one face of a prism of glass with an index of refraction, n. The light totally reflected as shown in the picture*. What is the minimum value n can have? *Picture shows a Porro prism (45-45-90 prism) Homework Equations n sin(a) = n2 sin...
  44. C

    Reflecting Prism Homework: Min Refractive Index & Ray Path

    Homework Statement a)What is the minimum refractive index of the prism in order for the light to reflect? b) What is wrong with this ray path for a reflecting prism? Homework Equations nisin(theta 1)= ntsin(theta 2) The Attempt at a Solution for part a, nt is 1, theta 2 is 90...
  45. F

    Calculate Force Needed to Tip a Rectangular Prism

    Homework Statement How much force is required to tip an object? Given- It is a rectangular prism 1m tall, .5 m wide, 2m long. The center of gravity is .75m from the ground vertically and otherwise centered. The force can be applied wherever it is easiest to solve the problem. Homework...
  46. H

    Semi circular prism and light rays

    Homework Statement So anyway in the diagram of my book there is a ray hitting the centre in the flat part of a semi circular prism. The question in the book states "Ignoring partial reflection, we know that each ray will pass through the flat surface and then pass through the curved surface...
  47. S

    Dispersion through an equilateral prism

    Homework Statement white light propagating in air is incident at 45 degrees on an equilateral prism Find the angular dispersion "gamma" of the outgoing beam if the prism has refractive indices n(red) = 1.582 and n(violet) = 1.633. NOTE: "gamma" is just a variable for describing the angular...
  48. K

    Moment of inertia for rectangular prism

    I want to find the moment of inertia (a formula) for a beam rotating around the center of a face. In other words, if I'm using http://www.engrasp.com/doc/etb/mod/util1/solidprop/sp005_rectprism/rectangularblock.gif", then I want to find its moment of inertia if its rotated about the POINT Zc, as...
  49. A

    Critical Angle Prism: Find Theta with n=1.90

    Homework Statement A corner reflector is to be made from a triangular prism with index of refraction n = 1.90, as shown in the diagram below. What is the maximum angle, with respect to the normal to the front surface of the prism, (theta), such that total reflection will occur...
  50. G

    Which is the area of each faces for the rectangular prism.

    Homework Statement Considering a rectangular prism bounded by six rectangular faces (x=2, y=0.5, z=1) and a cylinder (r=0.5, heigh h=2) that cut the rectangular prism in x=1 y=0 and z=0 with a inclination of 45 grads in y and z. Which is the area of each faces for the rectangular prism. I...
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